Have you ever looked at a recipe that called for All-Purpose Flour or one that specifically said to use Self-Rising Flour? Maybe your recipe called for Cake Flour.
You might have figured they are different types of flour, but that’s about it. You are right. They are different. Now, do you have any idea how they differ or when they are used?
Let’s start with All-Purpose Flour. It is milled from both soft and hard wheats. It is also the most versatile flour you should keep in your pantry. Its protein content is fairly moderate, coming in at 10% to about 12%. This is one you should reach for when making those flaky pie crusts, chocolate chip cookies, and fluffy waffles. Most recipes that just say ‘flour’ mean for you to use All-Purpose Flour.
Bread Flour is milled from only hard wheat. This strong flour has a high protein content at around 14%. If you bake a lot of yeast breads, this is the one you should use. Why? The gluten content is high, which yields a better volume in your rising dough.
Self-Rising Flour is quite a bit different than All-Purpose in that it has baking powder and salt added during the milling process. This soft wheat flour has a lower protein content, around 8% to 9%. You don’t want to substitute this for any other flour when you are baking. It is best used for those recipes specifically designed with this type of flour in mind.
Cake Flour has less gluten and a protein content of 5% to 8%. Your baked items will be softer when you use this one. If you want your cakes to be extra moist, use this one as it will absorb more of the sugar and liquid than All-Purpose. If you bake sponge or angel food cake from scratch…use this one.
Pastry Flour comes in somewhere between Cake Flour and All-Purpose. The protein content is 8% to 9%. The best part is, you can make your own at home. Used 1 1/3 cups of All-Purpose Flour with 2/3 cup of Cake Flour. Use it when making pie crusts, cookies, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and so much more.
White Whole Wheat Flour is not bleached flour. This one is milled from a pale variety of wheat called hard white wheat. Like regular Whole Wheat Flour, it has the same protein content at 13% to 14%. You will probably notice a slightly sweeter taste, however. If you want the taste and texture of white bread but you want the nutritional value whole wheat offers, then try this flour.
Regular Whole Wheat Flour uses more of the actual grain when milled. This will have a higher protein content at around 13% to 14%. Using Whole Wheat Flour will give you a stickier dough, making your breads denser. Since there is wheat germ left in when milled, this flour needs to be used up more quickly. I would not let it sit in your pantry for more than a couple of months.
Gluten-Free Flour can be made from a variety of sources. These include rice, corn, potato, tapioca, buckwheat, quinoa, sorghum, and many different nuts. You will find xanthan gum is often added to create the chewiness. Make sure you check your recipe to see if it calls for Gluten-Free Flour as you cannot always substitute it for All-Purpose Flour.
00 Flour is made from the hardest type of wheat, with the protein content coming in at 11% to 12%. This flour is ground very fine, almost powder-like. It rolls out well when making pizza crusts, flatbreads, and crackers. You can always find it in Italian grocery stores.
Almond Flour comes from almonds. They get blanched in boiling water to remove the skins. Then, they are ground and sifted into a fine flour. It is gluten free, low in carbs, and high in healthy fats and fiber. If you want to use Almond Flour in place of others, try a 1 to1 ratio to start with. You will need to add more of your rising agent, like baking powder or baking soda, as this flour is heavier. Try it and see how it works.
Try any one of our flour based recipes with your next dinner: cheesy breadsticks, jalapeño cheddar drop biscuits,